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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bore — to tire
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stand — to bear
  6. current — happening now
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. game — a match
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fine — high quality
  13. game — wild animals
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. current — of water
  17. face — part of the head
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fine — all right
  21. bore — to drill
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. branch — a division
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com